Audio from air traffic control captured the moment when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night
The American Airlines passenger plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members; three soldiers were on board the Army helicopter. All are believed to have died in the crash.
American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita, Kan., was on approach to the runway when the collision took place.
According to the audio, the air traffic controllers reacted to the crash before starting to redirect other air traffic in the area. One person described the collision as being in the middle of the Potomac River, while describing seeing a fireball and then nothing.
Those on board included members of the U.S. and Russian figure skating communities.
Authorities confirmed Thursday morning they were moving their operation from a rescue mission to a recovery mission.
